MobileHelp Smart Watch Review

Since personal alert systems were first introduced to the North American public in the late 1970s, medical alert systems have become more and more prevalent. Today, dozens of innovative, reputable companies offer affordable medical alert devices designed to give seniors and their loved ones enhanced peace of mind.

Medical alert systems come with easy-to-use help buttons that, when pushed, connect users directly to a 24-hour professional monitoring center staffed by highly trained operators. These operators have the user’s information on file and are trained to assess the situation, get in touch with the appropriate emergency personnel or the subscriber’s personal contacts and help seniors receive the help they need as quickly as possible.

At-Home or On-the-Go

With ongoing technological advancements and the large number of competing companies, seniors can now choose from a wide range of medical alert systems and devices based on their unique needs. Many companies provide systems designed specifically for use within the home, out in the community or traveling through wireless technologies, or both. This makes it easy for mostly homebound seniors to receive the most affordable and applicable devices, while more active seniors can choose the wearable device that works best for them.

Many medical alert systems, whether in-home or mobile, include a wearable device that can be worn as a necklace or bracelet. This helps ensure the help button is at arm’s reach if a senior falls, is injured or unable to physically reach a wall-mounted help button or base station. Active seniors with mobile devices can feel secure traveling on their own, and some devices even come with caregiver apps, so loved ones can track the user’s movements and activity. Additional features can include automatic fall detection, GPS tracking, voice-activated help buttons and two-way speakers.

MobileHelp and Its Unique Smart watch-Style Device

Founded in 2006 and perhaps one of the most reputable companies on the market, MobileHelp uses cellular connections with all four of its Classic, Solo, Duo and Smart plans. This allows seniors without a landline to select an in-home system for a monthly price that’s lower than most other company’s comparable plans.

The Classic plan is MobileHelp’s in-home system consisting of a base station and waterproof, wearable pendant that’s available for a low monthly price. The Solo plan, designed for seniors on-the-go, comes with a mobile base station that has a two-way speaker and a separate wearable pendant. The Duo plan is a combo including both the Classic and Solo systems.

The fourth plan, MobileHelp’s Smart, is a unique offering of a discreet, mobile, all-in-one watch-style device. In this guide, we’ll look specifically at MobileHelp’s Smart plan and review the features of its Smart watch, its costs and other relevant information to help you decide if MobileHelp’s Smart device is right for you.

The Best Features of MobileHelp’s Smart

The MobileHelp Smart is a watch-style device with a number of innovative, standout features. Built for active seniors and designed by Samsung, the Smart watch incorporates the latest technologies to merge a medical alert system into one streamlined, wearable device. Along with its primary medical alert function that connects seniors to a monitoring center from anywhere in the world, the device includes a Samsung Health activity-tracking app with a heart-rate monitor, weather forecasting, GPS location tracking and a high-quality, built-in speaker and microphone.

To create the device’s streamlined design, Samsung customized its popular, premium smartwatch, the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier. The water-resistant watch’s face is encircled by a strong bezel made with stainless steel, and the sleek, black wristband is made for comfort and style. The 1.3-inch touchscreen display is large enough for seniors to easily read while still remaining unobtrusive, and the military-grade glass surface provides a high-level of protection against scratches, dust and extreme high and low temperatures.

As with MobileHelp’s other devices, the Smart uses AT&T cellular service to connect wearers at the simple push of a button to on-call operators at Rapid Response, its certified, highly reputable and experienced monitoring center partner. Rapid Response is U.S.-based, its employees undergo a six-week training course, and it claims its operators respond to calls within an average of just 17 quick seconds.

Two Value-Rich Apps

The MobileHelp Smart includes two customizable apps that are perfect for active seniors seeking convenience and easy, trackable and data-oriented assistance in reaching their health goals:

1. The Samsung Health App

Through this comprehensive app, seniors can easily develop fitness and health goals and monitor their progress. Customized to each individual, the app can store a user’s height, weight, age and other personal details to create target goals in various areas, such as number of steps taken, level of physical activity and daily water, caffeine and calories consumed.

Sensors within the watch are designed to monitor the wearer’s heart rate and can do so at the specific intervals and frequencies a senior prefers. The Workout Mode can record the wearer’s heart rate and workout times for a wide range of specific exercises, including yoga, running, cycling, hiking and rowing. Seniors can even program the app to alert them during periods of inactivity as a reminder to do something active.

2. The Weather App

The watch’s weather app provides a simple way for seniors to check the weather forecast in any city at any time. Users can set the app to show their current location’s projected temperature range, likelihood of precipitation and time of sunset. This convenient application also makes it easier for seniors to plan for visitors and trips outside the home.

MobileHelp Smart Pricing

MobileHelp offers seniors simple, easy-to-understand pricing with all of its plans, and this is no different with the MobileHelp Smart. However, unlike with its Classic, Solo and Duo devices (and most medical alert system devices on the market) that are actually rented by users paying a monthly fee, seniors must purchase MobileHelp’s Smart watch-style device for an upfront fee of $349.95.

In addition to this one-time purchase cost, MobileHelp charges $24.95 per month for its monthly monitoring fee and requires seniors to pay in installments of at least three months at a time (a total of $74.98 for three months). Altogether, this equals a $424.80 starting cost.

After the initial start-up period, seniors can pay $74.98 every three months to maintain their monitoring service or pay more at once to cover a longer time frame.

Despite the significant purchase price, long-term Smart users may benefit from the watch’s low monthly monitoring fee. Compared to MobileHelp’s Solo device plan of $37.95 per month, for instance, the Smart plan is a significant $13 less per month. Additionally, while other companies and plans require seniors to return their device when they cancel their monitoring service, MobileHelp Smart users can keep their watch and continue to benefit from the Samsung Health app and Weather Tracking.

Pros and Cons of MobileHelp Smart

MobileHelp Smart Pros:

• The smart-watch style is so attractive and discreet that others won’t know you’re wearing a medical alert device
• The rugged, water- and dust-resistant design makes it likely to withstand use by the most active seniors
• Long two-day battery life and included charger is perfect for traveling
• The Samsung Health app’s heart-rate monitoring feature can provide invaluable health data
• Seniors can keep and use the Smart watch even if they unsubscribe from MobileHelp’s monitoring service
• After the initial purchase price, seniors pay a monthly fee that’s lower than the average mobile medical alert device

MobileHelp Smart Cons:

• High upfront purchase price that may be difficult for many seniors to afford
• Unlike some smartwatches, the Smart doesn’t include texting or calling capabilities to help seniors more easily stay in touch with loved ones

Comparisons of the Top Medical Alert Systems

• MobileHelp vs Alert1
• MobileHelp vs RescueTouch